Warming Up Your Home This Winter

Winter is here with its dark days and long nights…you’ll find yourself spending a lot more time at home during the coming few months to avoid the cold and the rain outside.  Adding some decorative touches to your house or simply rearranging things here and there is a great way to help you warm up your living space and get you through the harsh winter days.  Warming up your home doesn’t necessarily require a complete renovation nor a huge budget; but rather some creative ideas that can be as simple as adding some splashes of color and some accessories.  So get ready to overcome the winter blues with these decorating touches.

 

Color here, color there, color everywhere….

We all respond to the mood created by colors.  Dark colors like red, shades of brown, terra cotta and even gold, create a warm, cozy and sheltered feeling, whereas lighter colors such as cool blues and greens add spaciousness and a restful and soothing mood.  The one thing you can do with color is paint!  

 

There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint in a color that evokes the heat of winter months to brighten up a dark room.  Vibrant colors from tangerine to terra cotta to dark browns are among the more popular colors that are in this season.  Don’t be afraid to be daring with your colors on the walls. Rich reds, an unexpected yet bold choice, are always a good option to warm up a room.  The popularity of shades of red can be attributed to their festive quality; this powerful color has a way of adding instant style, exerting strong influence and conveying a dynamic feel to any room.  

 

Do be careful however, when opting for vibrant colors like tangerine and hues of orange as they command so much attention that the other elements in a room like pillows, rugs and lamps should be simple and uncluttered.

 

For smaller-sized rooms, painting over dull walls with bright, vibrant colors is especially effective in adding a splash of warmth to the room.  The effect of such hues brightens even the smallest of rooms. Larger rooms, on the other hand, can afford colored walls with patterns and even different textures for that added element of playfulness and coziness.

 

There is also the option of painting only one wall in a room.  Hazelnut brown is a particularly good color for a study as it evokes feelings of concentration and contemplation in addition to the warmth of browns.  If your room is a little on the small side, add hazelnut trims to all the walls; this color adds a dignified mood to the room making it suitable for a formal dining also.  Dark green makes a rich polished statement, so don’t hesitate to paint a wall of your formal dining area in dark green. 

 

 

Accessorize your home…

If you’re not into changing the color of your walls, you have the option of adding explosions of color to a neutral room. It will add instant beauty to the dullest of rooms.  Pick a color, any color and use it -- be it in carpets, throw-over rugs, cushions or pillows, even candles.  This requires minimal effort but has huge impact.  You can change the mood of your bedroom simply by adding throw pillows in different colors.  Fuchsia and lime-green pillows to a charcoal colored couch work well.  Stacking colorful pillows in a corner or filling a basket with them is not something you would perhaps think of doing until of course you see the effect it can have on the overall feel of a space. Any infusion of unexpected color will invite a warm and nurturing feel to the room.  Area rugs in oranges and reds can help a room transcend the winter chill as they pull the room together. Similarly, adding a few red cushions to a room suffering from winter blues will add an instant jolt of energy.

 

Lighten up your home…

With the winter days comes less sunlight making it a challenge to flood the home with light. White fabrics will brighten up any room and make the most of light that is available by reflecting it.  Simple changes such as replacing heavy drapes with lighter colors and breezier fabrics that let the light shine through are effective. If you have any white picture frames hidden away, winter is the time to pull them out.  A few well placed mirrors next to any window can work wonders in opening up a room and maximizing on light. Tilting existing mirrors also creates a new perspective and adds a new dimension to the room. 

 

 

Winter by candlelight…

Replacing some regular light bulbs with candle-light bulbs in your bedroom and living space will surely add a golden glow by actually imitating candle light. Imitating candle light creates an ambience that will lift your mood and relax you.  Otherwise, light a candle to cast a warm, romantic glow and give a luxurious and intimate feel.  

 

 

There’s nothing quite like spending a rainy winter day indoors, snuggled up with a good book, or by the fireplace with a glass of wine.  Winter can be as warm and cozy and enjoyable as you make it.   Taking that extra time to warm up your home with some inviting colors and simple accessorizing can add to that appealing idea of winter, making these few months all the less dreadful and cold.  Paint a wall, light a few candles, buy some colorful cushions and rugs, hang a mirror and winter will rain the warmest of memories.